Real lives

Colored pencils, drawing albums, books and games – basic but so necessary items for children.

UNICEF Ukraine provides education and early childhood development kits to displaced children helping them to continue their development.

KHARKIV, Ukraine, 7 January 2015 - Valeria, the mother of two boys of six and three years old from Lugansk oblast cannot hide her happiness upon seeing her children opening new school bags filled with stationery, inks for drawing, albums, pens and colored pencils.

“Now my boys will have what to do at home. They really like drawing, especially in the colored albums which help them to self-learn how to draw. Unfortunately, they do not go to the kindergarten which is too far from us. And these days I simply cannot afford buying them stationery and drawing albums because our family budget goes to buy fire and products to keep the house warm and provide basic food,” said Valeria.

After months of witnessing the shelling in their city, Valeria with two little children had to leave their house in Kirovsk and move to Kharkiv. Now they temporarily live in a suburb of Kharkiv in an abandoned house which is for sale. Pasha, the older son, was going to kindergarten in the family’s home city and he really liked it there. The younger son was also about to go. Now both boys have to stay at home all the time since the nearest kindergarten is too far. In winter and with two kids it is just impossible for Valeria to bring children to the kindergarten. So, they stay at home and play with each other all day long. There is no other opportunity so far for them.

UNICEF Ukraine together with partners are providing early childhood development and educational kits to children like Misha and his brother who cannot attend kindergarten or school and have to stay in a temporary home or shelter for internally displaced people. Children should have all necessary tools to continue their education and development despite the difficulties there are facing since the conflict in Ukraine started.

At the beginning of January 2015 UNICEF delivered 3115 individual education kits and 641 early childhood development kits to Kharkiv, where there is the biggest number of internally displaced children. With the help of partner organizations Rubezhi/ Stantsia Kharkov. UNICEF has started the distribution of kits to the most vulnerable children, planning to cover 9525 children in Kharkiv.

“We were a very friendly family; both sons were inseparable with their father. That is why they suffered a lot when their father was mobilized to the army back in March. During eight months children did not see their father and they suffered a lot. This I witness now and I am terrified when see their games. It is all about war and aggression. They build the construction and then shout ‘Bomb!’ while destroying everything. I am so upset about it and don’t know what to do,” complained Valeria.

Currently UNICEF Ukraine is helping to provide psycho-social support to children affected by the crisis in Ukraine. At the moment 80 school psychologists are being trained in order to help over 1,200 children to cope with the trauma they may have experienced. The psychologists are already working with children in Lugansk and Donetsk oblasts.

About UNICEFUNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org.ua . Join us on Twitter and Facebook